A curtain airbag with different size inflatable sections and a non-expandable portion

• Main Author: MANABU KOMIYAMA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.10.2008
• Subjects: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR

An air bag 11A, when in a flattened condition, has a longitudinally extending upper edge and a longitudinally extending lower edge. The upper and lower edges extend on and along first and second imaginary lines respectively. The air bag comprises a plurality of expandable portions 21,22 that include a larger expandable portion 21 that has upper and lower edges respectively extending on and along the first and second imaginary lines and a smaller expandable portion 22 that has an upper edge extending on and along the first imaginary line and a lower edge 15 spaced from the second imaginary line by a given distance; and a non-expandable portion having a size-compensating 25A part that extends from the lower edge of the smaller expandable portion 22 to the second imaginary line. The non-expandable portion provides a lower edge that runs the length of the air bag and thus allows the whole air bag to be wound on a bobbin rod during a packaging process (see figures 8 to 11). The different size expandable portions may provide protection for occupants of a coupe type vehicle where different spaces are adjacent front and rear seats.